To Hear Him Sing

Music.  It's really everywhere around us.  Radio.  You tube.  Movies aren't movies unless there is a soundtrack.  TV advertisements couldn't exist without a catchy tune.  Elevators, subway stations, restaurants..... we are surrounded with song.  

Music.  Singing, piano, guitar were all a routine part of my family life growing up.  We sang a lot.  From a young age I played piano more than any other activity.  All.  The.  Time.  My mom played guitar and I guess my dad did too, though I wasn't aware of that until my sisters told me some time after he had passed away.  I do remember him making odd music with his mouth, sounding like a brass instrument.  Human trumpet, that man.  I loved to hear him as we'd work together in his carpentry shop, or when we were riding in the old pickup truck on our way to a farm pond to fish.  Such a fond memory.

Music weaved a thread of peace and calm in our family.  It was glue that held us together.    

Music moves us.  It can move us to dance, it can move us to laughter.  And I am pretty sure I'm not the only one who has been moved to tears by music.  It touches our soul.  

And singing is something every human being can do.  It's the sound of the soul.  Always beautiful.  Yes.  Always beautiful. We were created to sing. And our audience of One loves our song. He's the designer of our song.    

From Genesis to Revelation in the Bible there are stories of how God has designed us for music.  Angels sing.  Temple musicians sing.  David, the Psalmist, sings.  

While music saturates the pages of scripture, my favorite portion of scripture about music is only the first three words of one verse.  An obscure verse that I have overlooked many times until recently.  In the book of Matthew, chapter 26 tells the story of the first communion.  The Last Supper.  Just days before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion.  

The story of Jesus serving his disciples the bread and wine is so familiar.  Matthew 26: 26-29, is read by ministers to this day when communion is served.  But verse 30, which follows the eating of bread and drinking of the cup of wine, says this:

"After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives."  

Can you picture that scene?  Jesus and the disciples singing together.  Psalms of praise. Familiar songs to the disciples.  However, there is very little written in the Bible about Jesus singing.  

Can you let yourself picture Jesus at that moment singing with them?  Was his heart in his throat, knowing the suffering that was to come?  Did tears stream down his cheeks as He sang?  Did he raise his hands with his eyes closed, his voice reaching the Father's ears in prayerful song?  Did the music fill his soul to the point of overflowing, knowing it could be his last song before the Cross?

I wonder if the disciples recognized his passion as he sang.  If their souls were touched by his voice.  If they maybe stopped their singing to listen to his song.  

And I can only imagine what it would have been like to be there, in the presence of Jesus singing. Jesus pouring his heart out in song. In such a human way.  Like we might do.  

Wouldn't you love to hear the voice of Jesus singing?

One day we will.  Will we be able to sing along or will we be speechless, in total awe when our Savior sings?  The One who loves us more than we can know.  The One who welcomes us home to heaven with the words "Well Done."  Maybe He will look at us and say "I want you to sing with me!" 

Of all that Heaven promises us, I just can't wait to hear Him sing. To sing with Jesus.

And, a little guitar from Mom with her lovely alto voice, and maybe a little "trumpet" from Daddy.